Method and device for producing composite moulded parts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing composite moulded parts (40), in particular prostheses composite moulded parts (46, 50, 52), which comprise fibre-reinforced plastics material, wherein the method comprises: a step of producing a multilayer laminate using a wet-wrap process, which involves forming a plurality of layers by wrapping at least one impregnated fibre (10) onto a wrapping core (18); a step of removing the laminate from the wrapping core (18); a step of shaping the laminate, so that the laminate has at least one predefined curvature; and a step of consolidating the laminate, in order to obtain a composite moulded part (40). The invention also relates to a device for producing composite moulded parts (40) and to a composite moulded part (40).

Description

[0001] METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE MOLDED PARTS

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a method for producing composite molded parts, in particular prosthetic composite molded parts, which comprise fiber-reinforced plastics. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for producing said composite molded parts.

[0004] Prostheses of all kinds, and foot prostheses in particular, have been continuously developed over the past few years to both adapt them to the individual needs of the patient and to improve their performance and longevity. These prostheses must exhibit a high degree of strength and elasticity, while, ideally, keeping their own weight as low as possible. This is made possible, among other things, by carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), which has long been used in the manufacture of prostheses. CFRP is a composite material comprising carbon fibers embedded in a plastic matrix. The corresponding plastic matrix is ​​usually formed from epoxy resin.

[0005] Prosthetic molded parts made from CFRP have a layered structure in which a plurality of individual CFRP or fiber layers are stacked on top of one another until a desired material thickness is achieved. This manufacturing process is particularly advantageous because the material thickness of the molded parts can be flexibly adjusted in sections and, furthermore, the arrangement and orientation of individual fiber layers can be influenced. This makes it possible, in particular, to adjust the desired strength and elasticity of a prosthetic molded part. Consequently, specific properties of a foot prosthesis, such as its energy absorption, degree of damping, deflection, and energy release, which are of key importance for the movement sequences during walking, can be specifically developed during the production of the CFRP molded parts.

[0006] For example, EP 3 193 789 B1 discloses a foot prosthesis with variable stiffness, comprising an elongated foot element and a heel element. The elongated foot elements and the heel element are connected to each other via screw connections, thus imitating the shape of a human foot. The stiffness and flexibility of the foot prosthesis are also largely determined by the interaction of the elongated foot element and the heel element.

[0007] Since the requirements of a prosthesis in terms of its size and function can vary greatly depending on the patient, these prostheses are traditionally manufactured manually. However, this is very time-consuming and cost-intensive. Accordingly, there is a general effort to simplify the manufacture of prostheses so that, in particular, the molded parts of a prosthesis made of CFRP can be produced on an industrial scale. In this regard, DE 10 2014 213 294 B4 discloses a method in which foot prosthesis composite molded parts can be manufactured from CFRP using a so-called wet winding process. For this purpose, in a first step, several layers or plies of at least one carbon fiber impregnated with epoxy resin are wound around a winding core or winding mandrel in order to produce a multi-layer laminate. The laminate then consolidates on the winding core orcan be consolidated more quickly by means of heat treatment to produce a hardened, dimensionally stable material which has the shape of the winding core, i.e. is particularly cylindrical or oval. The consolidation process involves curing the epoxy resin, producing a solid plastic matrix composite material in which the carbon fiber is embedded. The consolidated laminate is then detached from the winding core and separated into a number of prosthetic composite molded parts with a predetermined shape for further processing. A disadvantage of the manufacturing method described, however, is that the shape of the prosthetic composite molded parts is predetermined by the winding core. To enable efficient winding of the carbon fiber onto the winding core, the winding core must have a continuous curvature, i.e. in particular cylindrical or oval.Consequently, the consolidated laminate has only a curvature identical to that of the wound core, which severely limits the shape of the resulting prosthetic composite molded parts. In particular, some prostheses may require at least one change in curvature in certain sections. For example, a resilient heel section of a foot prosthesis may comprise both a concave and a convex area. However, such prosthetic composite molded parts cannot be produced using the process described above.

[0008] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a method for producing composite molded parts, in particular prosthetic composite molded parts, which enables a particularly simple and time-efficient production of a plurality of composite molded parts with variable shapes. It is further an object of the invention to provide a device configured to produce composite molded parts according to the method according to the invention.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention in a first aspect by a method for producing composite molded parts, in particular prosthetic composite molded parts, which comprise fiber-reinforced plastic, wherein the method comprises a step of producing a multi-layer laminate using a wet winding process, which comprises forming a plurality of layers by winding at least one impregnated fiber onto a winding core; a step of detaching the laminate from the winding core; a step of reshaping the laminate such that the laminate has at least one predetermined curvature; and a step of consolidating the laminate to obtain a composite molded part, wherein the method steps according to the invention are preferably carried out in the specified order. The said wet winding process can in particular be a process according to the wet winding method described above, i.e.that a fiber or a fiber thread or a yarn, which in this context are also referred to as roving, is passed through a liquid or viscous polymer-based resin for impregnation. In addition to epoxy resin, vinyl ester resins, vitrimer resins and / or other polymers, for example elastomers or thermosets, can also be used to impregnate the fiber used. It is also conceivable that a pre-impregnated fiber is used as the starting material. Accordingly, the fiber does not necessarily have to be impregnated during the process according to the invention, but can be in the form of a pre-impregnated roving or a pre-impregnated fiber. Such pre-impregnated rovings, which are also referred to as "towpreg," are commercially available.

[0010] The impregnated fiber is then wound onto a winding core. The fiber can be secured to the winding core at one end and wound or spooled onto the core in a controlled manner as the core rotates. Alternatively, the winding core can be wound around the fiber. Advantageously, several fibers can be wound onto the winding core simultaneously and at high speed and precisely combined, making the wet winding process an extremely time-efficient and productive manufacturing method. Furthermore, this process can be fully automated or carried out mechanically, allowing the composite molded parts to be manufactured particularly easily and cost-effectively.

[0011] According to the invention, a homogeneous, multi-layer or multi-ply laminate is created during the wet winding process by continuously winding a fiber onto the winding core. This laminate has a fiber architecture surrounded by a viscous polymer matrix and is therefore classified as a composite material. For this purpose, a first fiber layer is generally formed, covering a lateral surface of the winding core. A second layer can then be wound onto the first layer, so that the two layers are arranged directly adjacent to one another, thus creating the layered structure of the laminate. The fiber winding can be carried out, in particular, using the circumferential winding method or the cross-winding method.In the circumferential winding process, the impregnated fiber is wound continuously within a layer along the main extension direction of the winding core, so that the outer surface of the winding core is essentially completely covered by a first wound layer. The fiber windings, which are aligned parallel to one another within a layer, are in continuous contact with one another in the circumferential direction. In contrast, in the so-called cross-winding process, a first fiber layer is wound onto the winding core at a first specific angle, and a subsequent second fiber layer is wound onto the winding core at a second specific angle. The second specific angle can deviate by + / - 30° - 60° from the first specific angle, so that, viewed in the radial direction, two fiber layers wound one above the other have an essentially cross-shaped pattern.

[0012] Depending on the desired strength or thickness of the laminate to be produced, additional layers can be wound onto the existing layers so that the thickness of the laminate can be precisely controlled by the number of layers. A preferred thickness of the laminate after detachment from the winding core, i.e. when the laminate is spread out flat, can be, for example, 1 mm to 12 mm. In addition to the number of layers or plies and thus the thickness of the laminate, its dimensions in the main extension direction of the winding core can also be adjusted as desired, so that several composite molded parts can be manufactured from a laminate produced in a single wet winding process.

[0013] According to an important feature of the present invention, the detachment of the wound multi-layer laminate takes place immediately after the step of producing the laminate, i.e. immediately after the winding of the impregnated fiber onto the winding core and thus at a time at which the produced laminate has not yet been consolidated. It follows that the method according to the invention differs from the known wet winding method for producing prosthetic composite molded parts described at the outset, in particular with regard to the time at which the laminate is detached from the winding core. While the wound laminate is consolidated on the winding core in the conventional molding method, the detachment of the laminate from the winding core according to the invention preferably takes place before the laminate is consolidated. In this context, the detachment process means manual or mechanical unraveling orCutting open the laminate so that it can be removed from the winding core essentially without any loss of material.

[0014] Detaching the multilayer laminate from the winding core before the consolidation step has the particular advantage that the detached laminate is still soft or slack at room temperature, thus allowing a high degree of freedom in shaping the composite molded parts produced from the laminate. In contrast, the shape of the composite molded parts produced using the known wet winding process is significantly influenced and thus limited by the shape of the winding core due to the consolidation of the laminate on the winding core.

[0015] In the method according to the invention, the laminate is formed after the step of detaching the laminate. In this context, forming the laminate means converting the planar or flat initial shape of the detached laminate into a predetermined shape, wherein said shape preferably corresponds, at least in sections, to the shape of a prosthesis. In other words, the soft, non-consolidated laminate can be formed into a prosthesis composite molded part. According to the invention, the laminate has at least one predetermined curvature, which contributes in particular to improving the damping and deflection properties of a prosthesis made from the laminate.Advantageously, the forming of the laminate takes place in a forming unit specially designed for this purpose, which is capable of forming the laminate and maintaining the shape obtained, for example by means of pressurised, complementary counter surfaces.

[0016] Finally, the laminate, detached from the winding core and formed, is consolidated to produce a composite molded part in order to secure the shape of the multilayer laminate obtained during the forming process. As already mentioned, the viscous polymer matrix of the laminate is consolidated by heat treatment, for example, by hot pressing, to create a dimensionally stable composite material. In particular, the consolidation step can also include a cooling process to cool the previously pressure- and heat-treated laminate. Advantageously, the cooling of the laminate takes place evenly across its entire extent to prevent the formation of thermal stresses within the laminate. Consolidating the laminate creates a fiber structure embedded in a dimensionally stable polymer matrix, whereby the consolidated laminate represents a fiber-reinforced plastic.

[0017] Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the winding core is configured, during the process according to the invention, to reshape the laminate in the wound state, for example, via flexible shaping elements on the surface of the winding core, which, in combination with external, complementary counter surfaces, are capable of converting the laminate into a predetermined shape. In this case, the step of consolidating the laminate could also be performed in the wound state of the laminate, whereupon the laminate is detached from the winding core in the consolidated state and subsequently separated for further processing into at least one prosthetic composite molded part.

[0018] In order to produce a laminate that is as homogeneous as possible during the wet winding process, which laminate can then be particularly easily processed into composite molded parts, a first layer of impregnated fiber wound onto the winding core can advantageously contact at least a second layer of impregnated fiber adjacent to the first layer over their entire extent. It goes without saying that all further layers, i.e. in particular a third layer wound onto the second layer, etc., also contact their respective adjacent layers. The term "contact" in this context is understood to mean an essentially complete areal overlap of one layer with its immediately adjacent layer, such that a particularly homogeneous and compact fiber architecture can be produced.In other words, the individual fiber layers can be directly adjacent to one another, which allows particularly high bonding forces to be achieved between the individual wound layers.

[0019] Optionally, a first layer of impregnated fiber can be wound relative to the winding core at a first specific angle, and a second layer of impregnated fiber can be wound relative to the winding core at a second specific angle that deviates from the first specific angle, and wherein all specific angles relative to the circumferential direction of the winding core are between 0° and 90°. The specific angle, which is also referred to as the deposition angle or winding angle, can be varied depending on the layer in order to form a fiber architecture with predetermined properties. In particular, the flexibility of the composite molded part to be produced can be influenced by the orientation of the individual layers within the fiber architecture of the laminate.A consolidated laminate comprising fiber layers arranged predominantly parallel to the main direction of extension of the laminate can, for example, exhibit increased flexibility transverse to the main direction of extension. Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the specific angles of the first layer and the second layer to be identical or essentially identical.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the laminate can be detached from the winding core by separating the laminate substantially parallel and / or transversely to a longitudinal axis of the winding core. By separating the laminate parallel to the longitudinal axis of the winding core, a substantially rectangular laminate can be produced, which is then further processed by forming. Optionally, the laminate can be separated simultaneously both parallel and once or multiple times transversely to the longitudinal axis of the winding core, so that a plurality of uniform laminate blanks are obtained from a single wound laminate during the separation process.

[0021] In a further preferred embodiment, the laminate or a laminate blank can be cut into a predetermined shape before the forming step. This makes it possible to produce specifically shaped laminate blanks, which can be processed into composite molded parts during the subsequent process steps. The term "laminate blanks" in this context refers both to laminates that are cut directly on the winding core and to laminates that are converted into a predetermined shape before the forming step. The secondary cutting step is particularly useful if the laminate blanks are to have a shape before forming that is difficult or impossible to achieve when the laminate is removed from the winding core.

[0022] The laminate blanks are preferably cut to a uniform size, which allows a plurality of rectangular laminate blanks to be produced, in particular, from one laminate. This simplifies the subsequent forming of the laminate blanks, particularly in the case of automated or machine forming, since all laminate blanks have the same shape and can therefore be processed in an identical manner. Alternatively, the laminate blanks can be cut into different shapes, for example, into differently sized rectangular, round, and / or oval shapes. This enables the production of differently shaped composite moldings from one laminate, so that all composite moldings required for the manufacture of a prosthesis can be formed during a single wet winding process.It should be noted here that both a laminate and a laminate cutout can be used in the following process steps. Accordingly, the term "laminate" in the following section also includes a laminate cutout.

[0023] Optionally, the laminate can have at least one concave section and at least one convex section as a result of the forming process, whereby the laminate comprises at least one change in curvature. In this context, a section is understood to mean a region of the laminate that can extend both longitudinally and transversely to the main direction of extension of the laminate and can have a predetermined dimension. Furthermore, a concave section does not necessarily have to be provided with the same dimensions as a convex section, since, particularly in the case of foot prostheses, it may be necessary for a single prosthetic composite molded part to be formed with a plurality of concave or convex sections in order to imitate the functionality and, where appropriate, the shape of a human foot as precisely as possible.Specifically, reference should be made here to the anatomy of the underside of the foot, which, for example, exhibits a change in curvature in the transition areas between the hindfoot, i.e., the heel area, the midfoot, and the forefoot. The described method enables the production of specific prosthetic composite molded parts that can precisely reproduce the curvature of the underside of the foot. It should also be mentioned at this point that the forming of the laminate is not limited to the creation of concave or convex sections. Rather, the laminate can be converted into any conceivable shape relevant to the construction of a prosthesis during the forming process. For example, the formed laminate can have sections that are perpendicular to one another. Furthermore, it can already be provided at the time of forming to form at least one notch, a slit, and / or a tapered section in or on the laminate.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the laminate can be held by a receiving surface during forming, and the consolidation of the laminate can be carried out while the receiving surface holds the laminate. The receiving surface can in particular be a surface or a section of the aforementioned forming unit, which is designed to form the laminate detached from the winding core and / or the laminate blanks. For this purpose, a counter-surface complementary to the receiving surface can be provided, which, in combination with the receiving surface, predetermines a predetermined shape for the laminate. The laminate or one or, if appropriate, several laminate blanks can be attached to said receiving surface simultaneously, so that they do not slip accidentally during forming.

[0025] Since both the forming and the consolidation can be carried out while the laminate is held by the receiving surface, the forming and consolidation can advantageously be carried out simultaneously. For this purpose, it can be provided that the receiving surface and optionally the complementary counter surface can be subjected to pressure and temperature in order to effect hot pressing of the laminate. Due to the procedure described, in particular, the duration of the manufacturing process for a composite molded part is reduced and the handling of the formed laminates is simplified, since they do not have to be brought to a separate consolidation unit after forming. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable for the forming and consolidation of the laminate to take place in two staggered processes.

[0026] In a further advantageous embodiment, the laminate can be cooled for storage before the forming step, preferably at a temperature of 10 to -100 °C, particularly preferably at a temperature of -15 to -30 °C. In other words, the laminate is cooled or deep-frozen after being detached from the winding core and optionally after the laminate blanks have been produced, whereby the material, which is dimensionally stable or pliable at room temperature, can be temporarily stored for a longer period of time. Advantageously, laminate can thus be pre-produced at any time using the described wet winding process and, when required, i.e. as soon as a specific order for the production of prosthetic composite molded parts has been received, it can be heated or thawed and then further processed. Furthermore, it can also be provided that the laminate is further processed in the cooled state, i.e. in particular is formed and consolidated.

[0027] Alternatively, the laminate can be cooled for storage after the forming step, preferably at a temperature of 10 to -100 °C, particularly preferably at a temperature of -15 to -30 °C. In this case, cooling of the laminate after forming but before consolidation should be considered, whereby it can be advantageous to cool the formed laminate in its position in the receiving surface or in the forming unit so that the shape of the already formed but limp laminate at room temperature is not lost during the cooling process. In this context, it can be provided to be able to remove the laminate to be cooled from the forming unit together with the receiving surface and, if applicable, the counter surface complementary to the receiving surface, in order to avoid having to cool the entire forming unit.

[0028] Furthermore, the consolidation step can be carried out at a pressure of 1 to 150 bar, preferably 1 to 120 bar, particularly preferably 1 to 40 bar, and at a temperature of 0 to 300°C, preferably 20 to 200°C, particularly preferably 40 to 120°C, over a period of 10 s to 30 min, preferably 30 s to 20 min, or over a period of 3 min to 40 min. In this regard, the corresponding parameters can be adapted depending on the polymer and fiber used in order to ensure optimal curing of the polymer matrix. For example, the consolidation time for fast-curing polymers can be only a few seconds, while slow-curing polymers can be cured over a period of several minutes. To save energy costs, it is therefore advantageous to use a polymer that has short curing times or that cures even at low pressures and temperatures.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the at least one fiber can comprise a carbon fiber, a glass fiber, an aramid fiber, a basalt fiber, a ceramic fiber, a natural fiber or a combination thereof. The type of fiber has a considerable influence on the material properties and on the weight of the fiber-reinforced plastic and thus also on the functionality of the composite molded part to be produced. In particular, the strength and elasticity of the composite molded part is determined by the fiber used and its fiber architecture, i.e. its arrangement and orientation in the polymer matrix. In this context, the use of carbon fiber is particularly noteworthy because carbon fiber, in particular anisotropic carbon fiber, has high strength and stiffness while at the same time having low elongation at break in the axial direction.It should also be mentioned here that instead of a fiber, a fiber thread, a fiber bundle, a filament, a roving, or possibly a combination thereof can be used during the wet winding process. A roving is a fiber bundle whose individual filaments are aligned parallel and simultaneously untwisted and unspun.

[0030] Following the consolidation of the laminate for the inventive production of a composite molded part, the laminate can be post-processed to adapt the composite molded part, at least in sections. A machining process, i.e., machining the composite molded part by drilling, milling, and / or grinding, is particularly suitable for this purpose. For example, it may be necessary to locally reduce the material thickness of the composite molded part or to drill holes to insert threads into the composite molded part.

[0031] Furthermore, the object is achieved according to the invention in a second aspect by a device for producing composite molded parts, in particular prosthetic composite molded parts, which comprise fiber-reinforced plastic, wherein the device comprises a fiber feed unit which is configured to guide at least one fiber; a winding core which has a substantially cylindrical shape; a winding unit which is configured to wind the fiber onto the winding core in multiple layers; a detachment unit which is configured to detach a laminate wound onto the winding core from the winding core; a forming unit which is configured to deform the laminate detached from the winding core into a predetermined shape and has a receiving surface for the laminate; and a consolidation unit which is configured to produce a composite molded part by consolidating the laminate.

[0032] At this point, it should be noted that all features relevant to the method according to the invention are also applicable to the device according to the invention and vice versa.

[0033] Optionally, the device according to the invention can be configured with an impregnation unit. This impregnation unit is particularly designed to impregnate the fiber used by passing the fiber through the impregnation unit before winding it onto the winding core. For this purpose, the impregnation unit can have a reservoir of viscous plastic matrix material, wherein the corresponding plastic matrix material serves to impregnate the fiber. In this context, reference is also made to the impregnation of the fiber according to the first aspect. If the device according to the invention does not have an impregnation unit, the use of pre-impregnated fibers or pre-impregnated rovings is particularly contemplated.

[0034] The fiber feed unit, the winding core, and the forming unit of the device according to the invention are, in particular, units configured to perform a wet winding process according to the first aspect. In this context, the fiber feed unit can be configured to unwind at least one fiber from a fiber spool, align it, and set a predetermined fiber tension.

[0035] The task of the winding unit is, in particular, to precisely wind the impregnated fiber onto the winding core. For this purpose, it can be provided, for example, that the winding unit actively winds the fiber around the winding core and / or comprises a guide unit by means of which the orientation or deposition angle of the fiber on the winding core is predetermined. The winding of the fiber onto the winding core can take place, in particular, by rotating the winding core about its longitudinal axis. Furthermore, it can be provided that the winding unit applies a carrier film to the winding core before winding the fiber. Such a carrier film serves, in particular, to protect the winding core and facilitates the removal of the wound laminate from the winding core.

[0036] As already mentioned, according to an important feature of the present invention, the laminate produced during the wet winding process is detached from the winding core before forming and consolidation. In this context, the detachment unit of the device according to the invention can be configured to separate the laminate into a plurality of laminate blanks, so that several laminate blanks can advantageously be obtained from a single wound laminate. Due to this property, in particular, the time required to produce composite molded parts is improved compared to the manual production mentioned above. The winding core can further have a detachable carrier film on its surface, which is configured to simplify the detachment of the laminate from the winding core.

[0037] When the laminate is removed from the winding core using the removal unit, the removal unit removes the laminate along with the carrier film from the winding core. The carrier film, which then extends over one side of the laminate, serves primarily for transport and handling of the laminate and protects it, at least on one side, from contamination.

[0038] The device according to the invention can further comprise a plurality of forming units and consolidation units in order to process several laminates or several laminate blanks simultaneously. As already described, the receiving surface of the forming unit can comprise a complementary counter-surface so that the laminate can be fixed on both sides during forming and the counter-pressure required for forming can be applied via the counter-surface. Both the receiving surface and the complementary counter-surface can be formed with at least one curvature, which is transferred to the laminate during the forming process. In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the detachment unit can comprise cutting means configured to cut the laminate into a predetermined shape. The cutting means can cut the laminate fully automatically or, optionally, can also be operated manually.The cutting tools can be blades or knives, for example, rotary cutters, carpet knives, and / or ultrasonic knives. The cutting tools are particularly designed to cut the laminate into uniform, rectangular pieces.

[0039] In a further preferred embodiment, the device can comprise a cooling unit for cooling the laminate. The cooling unit can, in particular, be a refrigerator and / or a freezer integrated into the device. Alternatively, the cooling unit can also be configured outside the device according to the invention, for example, in the form of a cooling chamber in which a plurality of laminates can be cooled or frozen. As already mentioned, cooling the laminate serves, in particular, for intermediate storage, so that laminate can be pre-produced at a given time and cooled or frozen for storage.

[0040] In order to produce the composite molded parts using the device according to the invention as time-efficiently as possible, the forming unit and the consolidation unit can process a laminate in a combined work step. Accordingly, it can be advantageous for the receiving surface of the forming unit to hold the laminate, and wherein the consolidation unit can be configured to consolidate the laminate while the laminate is held on the receiving surface. If the laminate is provided with the carrier film, the consolidation unit can be configured to remove the carrier film from the laminate before consolidation. Alternatively, the carrier film can also be removed manually before forming and / or consolidation. However, it can also be provided that the carrier film remains on the laminate during forming and consolidation.In a third aspect, the invention further relates to a composite molded part, in particular a prosthetic composite molded part, which can be produced according to the features of the first aspect, wherein a device according to the second aspect is used to produce said composite molded part. Consequently, all features and embodiments of the method according to the invention and of the device according to the invention are transferable to the composite molded part according to the third aspect. The correspondingly produced composite molded part can form at least part of a foot prosthesis or an entire foot prosthesis.

[0041] The method and apparatus according to the invention for producing composite molded parts, as well as a composite molded part itself, will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

[0042] Figure 1 a shows an exemplary representation of a wet winding process according to a first embodiment;

[0043] Figure 1 b shows an exemplary representation of a wet winding process according to a second embodiment;

[0044] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a winding core;

[0045] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the winding core with detached laminate blanks;

[0046] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a laminate blank;

[0047] Figure 5 shows an exemplary representation of further processing of the laminate blank from Figure 4; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a forming and consolidation unit;

[0048] Figure 7a shows an exemplary representation of a composite molded part;

[0049] Figure 7b is an exemplary representation of a prosthetic composite molded part made from the composite molded part of Figure 7a;

[0050] Figure 8a is a perspective view of another prosthetic composite molded part produced according to the invention;

[0051] Figure 8b is a perspective view of a foot prosthesis comprising two prosthetic composite molded parts produced according to the invention;

[0052] Figure 9a is a perspective view of a prosthetic composite molded part of the foot prosthesis of Figure 8b; and

[0053] Figure 9b is a cross-sectional view of the prosthetic composite molded part from Figure 9a.

[0054] The following figures explain the method according to the invention, including advantageous embodiments, in detail. The description of the method also includes an illustration of the device according to the invention and its units, which can be used to produce composite molded parts, in particular prosthetic composite molded parts. It does not conflict with the invention that the individual units are partially illustrated and described in isolation below. Rather, it is pointed out at this point that the units of the device according to the invention can be provided both as independent units and can be integrated into the device according to the invention.

[0055] Figure 1a illustrates a wet winding process according to a first embodiment, which is suitable in a known manner for producing composite materials. For this purpose, a fiber 10 is provided in a first step, which serves as the starting material. The fiber 10 is, in particular, a carbon fiber, since this carbon-containing material is advantageous for the production of functional prosthetic composite moldings due to its high strength and rigidity. Corresponding prosthetic composite moldings are described in detail with reference to Figures 8a to 9b.

[0056] Instead of carbon fiber, however, other starting materials can also be used here, for example glass fiber, aramid fiber, basalt fiber, ceramic fiber, natural fiber, or a combination thereof. The choice of starting material can be made depending on the type and functionality of a prosthesis to be manufactured, as well as the material properties and material costs of the starting material. Furthermore, it should be mentioned again at this point that, in the context of the invention, the fiber 10 is also understood to mean a fiber thread, a filament, a yarn, or a roving, all of which are suitable for use in the wet winding process. In this context, a roving is a bundle, strand, or multifilament yarn made of parallel arranged filaments, whereby a roving can comprise several thousand filaments.

[0057] As shown in Figure 1a, several fibers 10 can be processed simultaneously during a wet winding process to increase the efficiency of the wet winding process. The fibers 10 are each provided from a fiber spool 12, from which the fibers 10 are unwound, aligned, and optionally adjusted to a predetermined tension by means of a fiber feed unit 14. The fibers 10 are then guided through an impregnation unit 16, which comprises a viscous, polymer-based resin. The resin is typically epoxy resin, but the use of other resins or polymers, such as vinyl ester resin, vitrimer resin, elastomers, or thermosets, is also possible. While the fibers 10 are guided through the impregnation unit 16, they are impregnated with the corresponding resin. For this purpose, for example, a container filled with viscous or liquid resin can be provided, through which the fibers 10 are guided.Alternatively, a spray system is also conceivable, which sprays the resin onto the fibers 10.

[0058] From the impregnation unit 16, the fibers 10 are guided to a rotatably mounted winding core 18, fastened flat thereto, and wound onto the winding core 18 in a targeted manner by the rotation of the winding core 18. For this purpose, a winding unit (not shown in Figure 1a) can also be provided, which for example comprises a guide that can be moved along the winding core 18, whereby the fibers 10 can be bundled and wound onto the winding core 18 in a targeted manner at a specific position, in particular according to the circumferential winding method or the cross winding method described above. For this purpose, it can be provided to vary a winding angle or an angular placement of the fibers 10 relative to the circumferential direction of the winding core 18, in particular in an angular range between 0° and 90°, preferably between 0.2° and 89°, in order to determine the orientation orto be able to adjust the orientation of the fibers 10 during winding onto the winding core 18 and thus enable a variable fiber architecture in a laminate to be produced by winding, which is indicated in Figure 1a only by the individual fibers 10 wound onto the winding core 18. The said fiber architecture of the laminate can thus comprise several fiber layers, each of which has a predetermined deposition angle. Alternatively, it may also be possible for the winding core 18 to be wound around the fibers 10, wherein the winding unit can in this case be configured to control the necessary movement sequence of the winding core 18.

[0059] Preferably, the winding core 18 is coated with a carrier film before the fibers 10 are wound up, which enables handling of the laminate and, in particular, prevents the impregnated fibers 10 from sticking to the winding core 18. Consequently, contamination of the winding core 18 is prevented. The dimensions of the winding core 18 can also be varied depending on the size of the laminate to be produced; in particular, the winding core 18 can have a length of 0.3 m to 15 m and a diameter of 10 cm to 300 cm. In Figure 1a, the winding core 18 is shown with a cylindrical shape, although the winding core 18 can optionally also have an oval shape. In this context, it is only important that the shape of the winding core 18 enables continuous winding, i.e. winding orStacking several layers of the fibers 10 onto the winding core 18 into a winding package, wherein the fibers 10 to be wound are continuously in contact with the winding core 18 or an already wound fiber layer in order to produce a durable composite material.

[0060] The aforementioned Kornposit material is produced by winding the impregnated fibers 10 onto the winding core 18 in the form of a laminate (not shown in detail in Figure 1a). The laminate comprises the fibers 10 enclosed in a polymer matrix and thus represents a fiber-reinforced plastic, for example, a CFRP. The laminate can consist of either a single fiber material or different fiber types. The described processes for producing the laminate, as well as the units involved, can all operate fully automatically, making the wet winding process particularly suitable for the production of laminates on an industrial scale.

[0061] Figure 1b illustrates a wet winding process according to a second embodiment, which differs from the first embodiment shown in Figure 1a only by the absence of the impregnation unit 16. Consequently, only the differences between Figure 1b and Figure 1a will be discussed in this context, while reference is made to Figure 1a for all common features. In the wet winding process shown in Figure 1b, fiber spools 12 with pre-impregnated fibers are used, so that the impregnation of the fibers during the wet winding process is eliminated.

[0062] Figure 2 shows the winding core 18 in isolation, comprising a wound laminate. The wall thickness of a wound laminate can be, for example, 0.1 mm to 30 mm and depends in particular on the desired material properties of a prosthetic composite molded part to be produced from the laminate. Thus, it may be preferable, among other things, to design prosthetic composite molded parts that are intended to withstand high loads with a comparatively large wall thickness.

[0063] The cutting lines 20, 22 shown in Figure 2 indicate the detachment of the laminate from the winding core 18, namely by cutting the laminate along the lines 20, 22 manually or automatically by means of a detachment unit and then pulling it off the winding core 18. The arrangement of the cutting lines 20, 22 is to be regarded as preferred in this context, i.e. that the laminate is, on the one hand, separated along the longitudinal axis of the winding core 18 (cutting line 20), whereby a single laminate can be pulled off the winding core 18 if desired, and, on the other hand, the laminate is separated at least once transversely to the longitudinal axis of the winding core 18 (cutting line 22). The latter enables, in particular, the division of the laminate into a plurality of uniform laminate blanks, which are explained in more detail with reference to Figure 3.Alternatively, however, it would also be conceivable to separate the laminate in another way, for example in order to obtain different laminate blanks with varying dimensions. Cutting means, in particular rotary knives, carpet knives and / or ultrasonic knives, which are controlled, for example, by the separation unit not shown in Figure 2, can be used to separate the laminate. The separation unit can be, among other things, an industrial robot arm which is designed to both cut the laminate along the cutting lines 20, 22 and to pull it off the winding core 18 in order to obtain a plurality of laminate blanks 24. If a carrier film has been applied to the winding core 18, this advantageously facilitates the removal of the laminate blanks and further protects the winding core 18 from damage caused by the knife used to separate the laminate.

[0064] Said laminate blanks 24 are illustrated in Figure 3, wherein the laminate blanks 24 shown here were produced by separating the winding core 18 along the cutting lines 20, 22 shown in Figure 2. This results in rectangular laminate blanks 24, all of which have the same dimensions. Thus, a single wet winding process can produce several laminate blanks 24, which are suitable for further processing into prosthetic composite molded parts. The carrier film, which is also detached when the laminate blanks are pulled off the winding core 18, is now located on the underside of the laminate blanks 24 and serves in particular to improve handling, since the laminate blanks 24 can be transported contamination-free thanks to the carrier film.Accordingly, the carrier film is advantageously formed from a flexible material which is pressure and temperature resistant, so that the laminate blanks 24 can be formed and / or consolidated together with the carrier film if necessary.

[0065] In the state shown in Figure 3, i.e. before the forming and consolidation step, the laminate blanks 24 are dimensionally and flexurally limp at room temperature and are therefore particularly easy to deform. Optionally, the laminate blanks 24 can now be cut a further time, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, for example in order to adapt the dimensions of a laminate blank 24 at least in sections and / or in order to obtain a plurality of smaller blanks 28 from a laminate blank 24. Cutting the already detached laminate blanks 24 is in particular easier to carry out than cutting the laminate in the wound state, whereby the former is particularly advantageous. The cutting of the laminate blanks 24 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is preferably carried out using the same cutting means 26 as for detaching the laminate from the winding core 18.At this point, it should also be mentioned that the laminate blanks 24 can be processed not only by cutting, but that other processing steps can also be considered, for example, compressing the laminate blanks 24 in order to reduce their layer thickness.

[0066] Figure 6 shows a forming unit 30 which is designed to form a laminate blank 24 or a blank 28. In this regard, it should be noted that a blank 28 can be used in the following instead of a laminate blank 24 or even a laminate. For reasons of clarity, however, only the term “laminate blank” 24 will be mentioned, whereby this term encompasses the use of a laminate and a blank 28. In this context, forming means in particular that the laminate blank 24 is converted into a predetermined prosthetic shape. For this purpose, the forming unit 30 here has a receiving surface 32 and a counter surface 34 complementary to the receiving surface 32, whereby the two surfaces 32, 34 are in turn formed with mutually complementary shaping elements 36, 38.The first shaping element 36 is provided here, by way of example, as a concave section, so that the second shaping element 38 of the complementary counter surface 34 consequently comprises a convex section.

[0067] For forming, the laminate blank 24 is then placed on the receiving surface 32 of the forming unit 30 and, if necessary, secured. The dimensions of the receiving surface 32 preferably correspond to the dimensions of the laminate blank 24, so that the positioning of the laminate blank 24 in the forming unit 30 is clearly predetermined. The shaping elements 36, 38 are arranged such that when the two surfaces 32, 34 are brought together, they engage with one another with a precise fit, whereby the shape of the shaping elements 36, 38 is transferred to the laminate blank 24. In the illustrated embodiment of the forming unit 30, the convex second shaping element 38 of the counter surface 34 presses the laminate blank 24 into the concave first shaping element 36 of the receiving surface 32, whereby a concave section is created in the laminate blank 24.It should be emphasized at this point that the shaping elements 36, 38 are shown here merely as examples. The shaping elements 36, 38 can rather be designed depending on the type and functionality of the prosthesis to be produced, so that a multitude of prosthesis shapes can be created using the described method. It should be emphasized in particular that the prosthetic composite molded part to be produced can in particular have at least one change in curvature, i.e. in particular comprises a concave and a convex section. For this purpose, the forming unit 30 can for example be provided with a plurality of shaping elements 36, 38, each arranged offset from one another, on the receiving surface 32 and on the complementary counter surface 34.

[0068] If the formed laminate blank 24 were now to be removed from the forming unit 30, there would be a risk that the laminate blank 24 would completely or at least partially lose its shape due to its slackness. To prevent this, the forming unit 30 can be configured according to an advantageous embodiment for consolidating the laminate blank 24, i.e., the forming unit 30 additionally represents a consolidation unit. Consequently, the laminate blank 24 can be consolidated directly together with or simultaneously with the forming step, so that a dimensionally stable composite molded part is produced. The consolidation step is, in particular, a conventional hot-pressing process, i.e.that by means of the receiving surface 32 and in particular by means of the complementary counter surface 34, a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature can be applied to the laminate blank 24 in order to cure the plastic matrix of the laminate blank 24. The pressures and temperatures applied for this purpose vary depending on the plastic matrix material used and are usually in a range from 1 bar to 120 bar, preferably in a range from 1 to 40 bar, and 20 °C to 200 °C, preferably 40 to 120 °C, whereby a laminate blank can also be cooled during the consolidation process, for example to 6 °C. The consolidation time is usually between 30 s and 20 min or between 3 min and 40 min.Insofar as the laminate blank 24 to be formed and consolidated has a carrier film, this can optionally be removed before being introduced into the forming unit 30 or can also be formed and consolidated together with the laminate blank 24.

[0069] Furthermore, it may be desirable to temporarily store the laminate blanks 24 for a certain period of time, i.e., not to process them immediately after their production by consolidation into composite molded parts. This may be the case, for example, if large quantities of starting material, i.e., fiber and polymer material, are available, but there are no immediate orders for the production of composite molded parts. In such a case, the laminate blanks 24 can be cooled or frozen, for example to -25°C. For this purpose, the forming and consolidation unit 30, in particular, can have a cooling unit, wherein the laminate blanks 24 can alternatively also be stored in an external cooling chamber. As soon as the laminate blanks 24 are to be formed and consolidated, they can be thawed and further processed accordingly. Alternatively, cooling the laminate blanks 24 in the already formed state is also conceivable.

[0070] Figure 7a illustrates an exemplary composite molded part 40 produced according to the described method. The composite molded part 40 here has three concave sections 42 and two convex sections 44, which are each arranged alternately on the composite molded part 40 and can be produced by appropriately designed shaping elements 36, 38 of the forming and consolidation unit 30. The composite molded part 40 shown in Figure 7a was manufactured from a single laminate blank 24 and is particularly suitable for use as a prosthetic composite molded part 46, which is shown in Figure 7b. For this purpose, for example, bores 48 can be made on the composite molded part 40 in order to provide it with threads and to connect it to further prosthetic composite molded parts 46 to produce a complex prosthesis, as illustrated in Figure 8b.Furthermore, it may be necessary to adapt the shape and / or thickness of the composite molded part 40 for the production and optionally individualization of a prosthesis by means of a machining process, in particular milling or grinding, or also by means of punching, waterjet cutting, or laser cutting. In this context, the composite molded part 40 can, if desired, be divided into several segments, in particular into two or four segments, by notches or slits, which are illustrated by way of example with reference to the embodiments shown in Figures 7b, 8a, 8b, and 9a. This can, among other things, increase the flexibility of the prosthetic composite molded part 46 orthogonal to its main direction of extension. In a further post-processing step, the composite molded part 40 can be coated with a sealing layer, which comprises, for example, a lacquer or a polymer layer, in order to seal roughened or porous surfaces.

[0071] Analogous to Figure 7b, Figures 8a and 8b show examples of prosthetic composite molded parts 50, 52 that are already fully developed and can be manufactured using the described method. Figure 8a shows, in this context, a first prosthetic composite molded part 50 of a foot prosthesis, which is particularly designed to have a continuous curvature and extends from a forefoot section 54 to a tibia and fibula section 56. In Figure 8b, the first prosthetic composite molded part 50 is connected to a second prosthetic composite molded part 52, which has a heel section 58 and a midfoot section 60.In the connected state, the prosthetic composite molded parts 50, 52 represent a functional foot prosthesis made of fiber-reinforced plastic, for example of CFRP, wherein such a form of a foot prosthesis is already known from the prior art, but can be produced particularly easily and cost-effectively using the method according to the invention.

[0072] Figures 9a and 9b once again illustrate the shape of the second prosthetic composite molded part 52, with Figure 9a representing a perspective view and Figure 9b corresponding to a cross-sectional view. Both figures show that the second prosthetic composite molded part 52 comprises both a concave section 42 in the region of the heel section 58 and a convex section 44 in the region of the metatarsal section 60. Thus, the second prosthetic composite molded part 52 shown in Figures 8b, 9a, and 9b, analogous to the prosthetic composite molded part 46 shown in Figure 7b, has at least one change in curvature along its respective main extension direction. Such a shape has a positive effect on important properties of a foot prosthesis, in particular on the energy absorption, the degree of damping, the deflection, and the energy release of the foot prosthesis.The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention are particularly well suited for producing such foot prosthesis composite molded parts 46, 50, 52, since a high degree of freedom in the shaping and in particular of the curvature of the prosthesis composite molded parts 46, 50, 52 is made possible while at the same time requiring little time.

[0073] Further aspects and embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by the following examples:

[0074] 1. Example: Method for producing composite molded parts (40), in particular prosthetic composite molded parts (46, 50, 52), which comprise fiber-reinforced plastic, the method comprising the following steps:

[0075] - producing a multilayer laminate using a wet winding process, wherein the wet winding process comprises forming a plurality of layers by winding at least one impregnated fiber (10) onto a winding core (18);

[0076] - detaching the laminate from the winding core (18);

[0077] - forming the laminate so that the laminate has at least one predetermined curvature; and

[0078] - Consolidating the laminate to obtain a composite molded part (40).

[0079] 2nd example: Method according to the 1st example, wherein a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) wound on the winding core (18) contacts at least one second layer of impregnated fiber (10) adjacent to the first layer over their entire extent.

[0080] 3. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) is wound relative to the winding core (18) at a first specific angle and a second layer of impregnated fiber (10) is wound relative to the winding core (18) at a second specific angle which deviates from the first specific angle, and wherein all specific angles are between 0° and 90°.

[0081] 4. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein the detachment of the laminate from the winding core (18) is carried out by separating the laminate substantially parallel and / or transversely to a longitudinal axis of the winding core (18).

[0082] 5. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein the laminate is cut into a predetermined shape before the forming step.

[0083] 6. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein the laminate has at least one concave section (42) and at least one convex section (44) as a result of the forming.

[0084] 7. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein the laminate is held by a receiving surface (32) during the forming, and wherein the consolidation of the laminate is carried out while the receiving surface (32) holds the laminate.

[0085] 8. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein the laminate is cooled for storage before the forming step, preferably at a temperature of 10 to -100 °C, more preferably at a temperature of -15 to -30 °C.

[0086] 9. Example: Process according to any one of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the laminate is cooled for storage after the forming step, preferably at a temperature of 10 to -100 °C, more preferably at a temperature of -15 to -30 °C.

[0087] 10. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein the consolidation step is carried out at a pressure of 1 to 150 bar, preferably 6 to 120 bar, and at a temperature of 0 to 300°C, preferably 20 to 200°C, over a period of 10 s to 30 min, preferably 30 s to 20 min. 11. Example: Method according to one of the preceding examples, wherein the at least one fiber (10) comprises a carbon fiber, a glass fiber, an aramid fiber, a basalt fiber, a ceramic fiber, a natural fiber, or a combination thereof.

[0088] 12. Example: Device for producing composite molded parts (40), in particular prosthetic composite molded parts (46, 50, 52), which comprise fiber-reinforced plastic, the device comprising:

[0089] - a fiber feed unit (14) which is arranged to guide at least one fiber (10);

[0090] - a winding core (18) which has a substantially cylindrical shape;

[0091] - a winding unit which is designed to wind the fibre (10) onto the winding core (18) in multiple layers;

[0092] - a detachment unit which is designed to detach a laminate wound onto the winding core (18) from the winding core (18);

[0093] - a forming unit (30) which is designed to form laminate detached from the winding core (18) into a predetermined shape and has a receiving surface (32) for the laminate; and

[0094] - a consolidation unit which is designed to produce a composite molded part (40) by consolidating the laminate.

[0095] 13th example: Device according to the 12th example, wherein the winding unit is further configured to wind a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) onto the winding core (18) in such a way that the first layer contacts at least one second layer of impregnated fiber (10) adjacent to the first layer over its entire extent.

[0096] 14th example: Device according to the 12th or 13th example, wherein the winding unit is further configured to wind a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) relative to the winding core (18) at a first specific angle and to wind a second layer of impregnated fiber (10) relative to the winding core (18) at a second specific angle which deviates from the first specific angle, wherein all specific angles are between 0° and 90°.

[0097] 15. Example: Device according to one of examples 12 to 14, wherein the detaching unit comprises cutting means (26) which are adapted to cut the laminate into a predetermined shape.

[0098] 16. Example: The device according to any one of examples 12 to 15, wherein the device comprises a cooling unit for cooling the laminate.

[0099] 17. Example: Apparatus according to any one of examples 12 to 16, wherein the receiving surface (32) of the forming unit (30) holds the laminate, and wherein the consolidation unit is configured to consolidate the laminate while the laminate is held on the receiving surface (32).

[0100] 18. Example: Composite molded part (40), in particular prosthesis composite molded part (46, 50, 52), produced according to a method according to one of Examples 1 to 11 and by means of a device according to one of Examples 12 to 17.

[0101] 19th example: Composite molded part (40) according to the 18th example, wherein the composite molded part (40) forms at least part of a foot prosthesis.

Claims

Claims 1. A method for producing composite molded parts (40), in particular prosthetic composite molded parts (46, 50, 52), which comprise fiber-reinforced plastic, the method comprising the following steps: - producing a multilayer laminate using a wet winding process, wherein the wet winding process comprises forming a plurality of layers by winding at least one impregnated fiber (10) onto a winding core (18); - detaching the laminate from the winding core (18); - forming the laminate so that the laminate has at least one predetermined curvature; and - Consolidating the laminate to obtain a composite molded part (40).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) wound on the winding core (18) contacts at least one second layer of impregnated fiber (10) adjacent to the first layer over their entire extent.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) is wound relative to the winding core (18) at a first specific angle and a second layer of impregnated fiber (10) is wound relative to the winding core (18) at a second specific angle which deviates from the first specific angle, and wherein all specific angles are between 0° and 90°.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laminate is cut into a predetermined shape prior to the forming step.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the laminate has at least one concave section (42) and at least one convex section (44) as a result of the forming.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laminate is supported by a support surface (32) during the forming process, and wherein the consolidation of the laminate is carried out while the support surface (32) supports the laminate.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laminate is cooled for storage after the step of detaching from the winding core and before the step of forming or after the step of forming and before the step of consolidating, preferably at a temperature of 10 to -100 °C, more preferably at a temperature of -15 to -30 °C.

8. The process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the consolidation step is carried out at a pressure of 1 to 150 bar, preferably 1 to 120 bar, particularly preferably 1 to 40 bar, and at a temperature of 0 to 300°C, preferably 20 to 200°C, particularly preferably 40 to 120°C, over a period of 10 s to 30 min, preferably 30 s to 20 min, or over a period of 3 min to 40 min.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a thickness of the laminate after the step of detaching from the winding core is between 1 mm and 12 mm.

10. Device for producing composite molded parts (40), in particular prosthetic composite molded parts (46, 50, 52), which comprise fiber-reinforced plastic, the device comprising: - a fiber feed unit (14) which is arranged to guide at least one fiber (10); - a winding core (18) which has a substantially cylindrical shape; - a winding unit which is designed to wind the fibre (10) onto the winding core (18) in multiple layers; - a detachment unit which is designed to detach a laminate wound onto the winding core (18) from the winding core (18); - a forming unit (30) which is designed to form laminate detached from the winding core (18) into a predetermined shape and has a receiving surface (32) for the laminate; and - a consolidation unit which is designed to produce a composite molded part (40) by consolidating the laminate.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the winding unit is further configured to wind a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) onto the winding core (18) such that the first layer contacts at least one second layer of impregnated fiber (10) adjacent to the first layer over its entire extent, and / or wherein the winding unit is further configured to wind a first layer of impregnated fiber (10) relative to the winding core (18) at a first specific angle and to wind a second layer of impregnated fiber (10) relative to the winding core (18) at a second specific angle which deviates from the first specific angle, wherein all specific angles are between 0° and 90°.

12. Device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the detaching unit comprises cutting means (26) which are arranged to cut the laminate into a predetermined shape.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the apparatus comprises a cooling unit for cooling the laminate.

14. Apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the receiving surface (32) of the forming unit (30) holds the laminate, and wherein the consolidation unit is configured to consolidate the laminate while the laminate is held on the receiving surface (32).

15. Composite molded part (40), in particular prosthesis composite molded part (46, 50, 52), produced according to a method according to one of claims 1 to 9 and by means of a device according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the composite molded part (40) preferably forms at least part of a foot prosthesis.

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